The doll I stole
by StubbornStoneTroll
Summary: Alexis is sent to the loop we all know and love, there she finds a little doll and she gets into a lot of trouble with the owner when she doesn't want to give it back. Enoch and Alexis are messing with each other and don't know they're slightly falling more and more in love.
1. 1: tripping over a doll

A/N: I want to keep this short. You only need to know that everyone is like the book character except Enoch. That and I do whatever I want so don't hate on me if I don't follow the storyline. With that said let's just get right into this.

* * *

The ocean wind is rubbing my face while the waves are crashing against the little boat. I hold my mom's hand and squeeze it every time I feel a drop of seawater on my skin. My mom doesn't stop me from bruising her hand.

"You have to learn how to deal with it." Her words fly away in the sea breeze. There are two things she could be talking about. I don't want to think about either of them, so I just stay silent while another wave battles the boat. I hold her hand the whole time, scared that I will lose her too in the deep dark water underneath us. I know I have to let go of her one time, but not when the ocean is still floating around us. Not when I still can.

I'm glad when the boat finally arrives at the island. I drag my mom away from the boat until it's out of sight, just like the ocean. She looks worried at me, her eyes scanning my expression. I hide the fear that's slowly fading with the kilometres we walk. My mother takes the lead, clearly knowing where we're going. We don't say a word, we don't hesitate. All there was to say, she told me on the plane. We have no words left to say to each other. The dirt underneath our feet gets wetter and wetter the farther we go. The path gets smaller and smaller the more forest we pass. The fear boils up again in my stomach. It makes my feet go faster and it makes my mind silence.

I hear the ocean crashing against rocks not so far away. I try to block the sound. It only scares me away. My mother feels the tension and walks faster too. We walk until she drags me to a rock formation. My mind is still silence, ignoring everything, especially the sound of water so close by.

"You know, I still love you, this is not a punishment. It will help you." I nod, but I can't repress a question. "Will it help me get over Damon or control the..." I can't name what it actually is, but my mom understands. She strokes my hair loving, like a caring mother.

"Maybe both, maybe someone else will fill the hole Damon left." She forces a compassionate smile. Her eyes are sad and looking straight into mine. Her as green as young grass in spring, mine green as olives.

"You will be safe in the loop, honey. I think it's time for you to go." She strokes my hair for the last time, her eyes watered and trying to remember my features for the last time. I loosen my grip on her hand, slowly letting go of it. I let go of her and everything else. I'm ready to begin again. "I will miss you." I whisper before I enter the cave between the rocks. No hesitation, no tears and when I come out my mom is gone, forever.

* * *

The first thing I do is scanning my surrounding. From the garden with the tops of carrots and celery peeking out to the beach with the rough foaming water. I still get a heart attack at the thought of how close the ocean is, but I go over it fast. My eyes cling on the building on the top of the hill. Every single detail I try to imprint in my brain. It could get to use.

I see a girl running from the house to where I stand with two younger girls behind her. One of the little ones has big heavy shoes on her feet that look rather uncomfortable to me, but she runs like they're not even there. When they reach me the oldest keeps the little ones behind her back, clearly not trusting me. I wouldn't trust myself either to be honest.

"Hello fellow, what brings you here?" She talks with an old kind of politeness that irritates me. She sounds like my grandma.

"I'm Alexis, I just came to see Miss Peregrine." My mom told me to first see her, the headmistress of this place. She will tell me what my mother doesn't know. However, my mom could tell me pretty much so far. She told me about this loop that resets every day so it will be forever the third of September 1940 and the peculiar children that can do weird things. She only talked about an Emma, the only one of the children she actually knew. She makes fire with her hands, I believe. It's all new for me. I don't know more than what she said on the plane.

The oldest girl looks behind her at the two children that look extremely happy. "I'm Olive," the one with the heavy shoes says, "I hope you stay. We could use some fresh breath in the house." She smiles sheepish at me.

Then the other young girl with cute blond curls introduces herself. "Nice meeting you, I'm Claire." She puts her hands behind her back and wiggles on her feet. The oldest girl looks still at me with that careful glance. "And that's Emma, she doesn't like new peculiars, but she will get over it soon." Olive adds, pointing at the leading girl.

I take Emma, Olive and Claire in with my photographic memory. Olive grabs my hand and drags me to the house before I can finish with Claire's features. "Miss Peregrine will like to see you. It's a long time ago someone visited us." She almost hops through the garden -what seems impossible with the shoes- to the frontdoor of the wonderful house.

There I meet her, an on point lady with pointy fingernails and make up that makes her eyes seem sharp. Her hair is black like coal with some blue highlights that resemble her dark blue outfit. Her eyes narrow when she sees me coming, she looks concerned. "Welcome, dear, I'm delighted to finally meet you." Miss Peregrine shakes my hand and tells me to follow her. "You already met some of the peculiars, Olive, Claire and Emma. But there are so much more."

I can't keep my eyes of the old design of the house. The wallpaper, warm brown and the wooden floor, lightly cracking underneath my feet. It all feels like a dream. I gasp at the porcelain cupboards that are exposed and the authentic pieces of art on the walls. "I will introduce all my children at dinner. If you stay, of course." She turns around, still with a little bit of concern in her eyes.

"I would love to stay, if that's not a problem." Miss Peregrine laughs softly and comforting. "My dear, you can stay as long as you want to." She turns back at me again and walks to the staircase of dark oak wood. She's graceful as she walks the uneven stairs while I probably look like a baby giraffe that walks for the first time. I can't stop scanning everything and saving it for later. There's just so much to see.

When I'm upstairs I almost trip over a clay figure that's as big as my hand. I pick it up. Miss Peregrine looks at me because I wasn't walking behind her anymore and sees the figure in my hand. "That's Enoch's. You can give him after dinner." With that I put the doll in my pocket and fasten to keep up with Miss Peregrine.

* * *

Miss Peregrine showed me my room that I share with Bronwyn. I haven't seen the girl, but I hope she doesn't mind me joining for tonight. After the tour in the house it's time for dinner. I'm excited to meet everyone.

When I enter the dining room it gets silent. All the children around the table are looking at me and I get shy suddenly. I touch my French braid, that's still messy from the ocean wind, nervously. Miss Peregrine comes from behind me and pushes me softly into the room. "Children, what did I say? Staring isn't polite." All the heads turn away and the wall seems very interesting suddenly. Well, all the heads except two. Olive keeps smiling at me with her bright white teeth and the other one is a boy I haven't met yet. It looks like he doesn't really like my presence because he has a grumpy look on his face.

"Let's all introduce ourselves to our guest." Miss Peregrine says while she's sitting down on her chair at the head of the table. I take the free place next to Olive who's still happy I'm here. There's also one chair left next to Miss Peregrine but with Emma on the other side I don't feel really comfortable sitting there. "Bronwyn, you can start."

The girl next to Miss Peregrine starts to talk. "I'm Bronwyn Bruntley and I'm your roommate, I heard. We're going to have a great time." Miss Peregrine touches her with her elbow to continue. "Oh yeah, and my peculiarity is super strength." The girl adds. Bronwyn looks a year or two younger than me, the closest to my age except from Emma, who looks like she's the same age as me. She probably didn't want me as roommate.

"I'm next!" Olive squeals. "I already know you, honey." I sound like my mother, I realize. "Olive Abroholos Elephanta, lighter than air." She says anyway. That explains the heavy shoes and the belt that keeps her on her chair.

"Then it's me I suppose." The shyness comes back when everyone is looking at me again. I hate it when all the eyes are on me. "I'm Alexis Archer..." They're hanging on my lips, like I'm telling a secret. "and I don't know what my peculiarity is."

"Yes, you do." Miss Peregrine declares. I feel really uncomfortable under the gasp of the children, all of them are expecting some great power. "Uhmm... I haven't really figured out how to name it."

The headmistress gives me a smile. "It's just one word, dear. Not that difficult, is it?" I sight, I can't find a way to get it out of my throat. After an awkward second I try my voice and I try the word for the first time. "Illusionist." It sounds weird in my ears. It's weird that I can describe myself just with one word: illusionist.

"Show it!" Olive blurts out next to me. Her eyes cling on me and she looks hyperactive. "Please?" She adds after a warning glance of Miss Peregrine.

"Okay." I get unsure about what I should show them. I close my eyes and begin to imagine, hoping they will like it. First I imagine the ceiling disappearing. It changes into a sky filled with twinkling stars and the full moon that shines bright like a flashlight shining into the room. Next I imagine a few falling stars with lighting tails. I open my eyes, hoping I wasn't sitting here as a moron with closed eyes.

I see the night sky above me, where the ceiling used to be and the children gasping at the sight. Clair whispers a wish upon a star and the boy in between us has to say her that the stars she sees now are not real. I turn my eyes to Miss Peregrine for approval and she smiles bright back. She mouths me that I've done great. I slowly let my illusion fade away until the ceiling is back from never being gone.

I hear some wows around the table. The boy next to me doesn't seem to be that impressed and begins to introduce himself. "Horace Somnusson, predictive dreams, nice to meet you." He bows a little bit for me. I like his suit and top hat very much, so I tell him. He is clearly flattered and some other kids are making grumpy noises from the other side of the table.

Next is Claire Densmore who demonstrates her mouth at the back of her head and then we go to the other side of the table. Hugh Apiston takes the word for Fiona Frauenfeld, who can grow plants, and himself. While he speaks a bee flies out of his mouth what's also his peculiarity: bees in his stomach.

The grumpy kid that was staring at me introduces himself as Enoch. "I'm Enoch O'Connor and it's not proper to discuss my peculiarity at the table." Hugh elbows him in the ribs. He gets a death glare from Enoch. "I raise the death and dolls with the hearts I find." He tells me anyway. I don't know if he's joking, but then I feel the clay figure in my pocket and decide to believe him.

"Emma Bloom, fire hands." She doesn't say more and I expect we got everyone. But a voice that comes from nowhere scares the crap out of me. "I'm Millard Nullings and as you can see, I'm invisible." I'm still recovering of the hearth attack that the invisible boy gave me while Miss Peregrine sends him away to put clothes on. I'm glad I didn't want to sit next to Emma. That would be ten times more awkward than this night already is.

I chat with my neighbours, especially Horace, who's really nice. While Olive is still enthusiastic about my show. Everyone leaves dinner except from Horace and me, we keep discussing the best way to dress. He seems to be interested in the fashion of my time, especially suits, of course. "No one else cares, you know, about clothing. But I think it shows your status and who you are." I nod, not able to add anything.

It's silent for a minute before he begins a more serious subject. "Do you want me to tell you about your future?" I sense that Horace feels also a little bit uncomfortable asking. I certainly do. "Well, why not?" I don't know what he's going to do, but I hope it doesn't hurt. He takes my hand carefully and closes his eyes. I stare expectantly at him. Without knowing it myself I scan him. From the top hat on his blond hair to the tips of his leather shoes. I feel guilty for it afterwards, but he's still sitting there with my hand in his and his eyes closed. He smirks when he opens them.

"I see, I see," he says in a wizardly way, "your new best friend, that's me to be clear," I laugh at that, but I would like Horace as a friend, even if he's younger. "and another special person in your life." I lean closer, looking deep in his eyes. "Who?" He must be joking, or he saw Damon. But that's impossible because Damon is death. "You wouldn't believe me if I told." His breath against my face.

"Who is it?" I ask stubbornly. Horace looks deep in my eyes and decides not to tell me.


	2. 2: doll battle

In Bronwyn's room I get ready to go to sleep. I decide to sleep in my underwear and my shirt. She said she was okay with it.

When I want to throw my pants on the back of my bed I feel the clay figure in the pocket. I almost forgot, I need to give it back. I take it out of the pocket and stare at it. The features of the little man are surprisingly detailed. In his chest is a gap where... I don't want to think about it. I put my pants on again and leave the sleeping Bronwyn in the room.

I get down to the rest room where I hope to find Enoch. My bare feet ruffle on the uneven stairs. When I enter the room I automatically scan it and I count five children. Hugh and Fiona, together on a small couch with a bee twirling around their heads. On the floor is Millard reading a book that's even old for this time. Emma is writing in an armchair in the corner of the room, giving me dirty looks and then there is Horace. I go sit next to him, interrupting whatever he's doing.

"Hey, do you know where Enoch is?" His expression is changing between surprise and disbelieve. Oh yeah, this maybe sounds weird. "Miss Peregrine said I should give him his clay doll back." I justify myself. The disbelief doesn't fully leave his face, but a smile creeps up anyway. "He's probably in the basement." He points back at the staircase I came from. I give him a quick hug with Emma's judging eyes on me and get the heck out of there.

The floor cracks under my feet and I wish I wouldn't make so much noise, especially when Emma's glaring at me. I feel an outcast with her in the room. I take a deep breath before I go down to the basement. The darkness and the smell are awful the further down I go. What is Enoch doing here? I shut my mind before I can think of too horrible things like slaughtering animals or... there I did it. I thought about it.

I ignore the smell and knock on the only door downstairs. Somewhere deep inside myself I hope no one will open.

"Come in." I hear the deep voice of Enoch. I need to take a breath before I have the guts to enter the basement. I close the door behind me but I stay with my back pressed against the wood. There's no animal slaughter going on but it's still the creepiest room I've ever been. The walls are filled with shelves with jars on them with all organs, especially hearts, in some liquid. In the middle is a table with bloodstains everywhere on it and dolls siting on the edges. They stare at me with their glass eyes what gives me shivers. Enoch sits at the table, his hands covered in blood. His deep brown eyes stare at me like they did at dinner. His grumpy expression isn't changed since the last time I saw him.

"What brings you here?" I remark a London accent in his rough voice. I don't know if it makes me more comfortable or just makes the situation creepier.

"I found your doll." I'm not able to say more. A shiver goes down my spine again but now I notice it's from the cold and not all the hearts swimming in jars around me. I don't want to imagine how it would smell here if the sun warms up the flesh. All this thoughts rush through my mind in less than a second while I'm ripping my back of the door. I get the clay figure out of my pocket and lay it carefully on the table with blood. Enoch picks it up to place it next to another doll from clay. I make myself scan the room, however it's still horrible. The dolls are the hardest to remember, all the different features and how they're placed.

"What are you still doing here?" Enoch is clearly annoyed with me. I look back in his staring eyes without hesitation this time. "I'm waiting for a 'thank you'." I still try to ignore the smell of the hearts but now it's mixing with the metallic smell of blood. I have troubles keeping a straight face.

"So you're planning on waiting here for eternity?" His little smirk annoys me. I place my hand on the free corner of the table, leaning on it so I can stand more comfortable if I'm going to stay the whole night. After a few minutes waiting Enoch starts to talk again. I almost hope he's going to thank me but it's a wish that will never come true.

"If you're staying anyway, I can show you my peculiarity this time. It's just not as beautiful as a night sky in the dining room." He says sarcastically. I know he's trying to scare me away by raising his puppets. I straighten my back and try to look like I don't care.

"Can you take three little jars from over there?" He points at something behind me but I don't even take the effort to look. "Okay, I understand. I will do it myself."

He stands up from his chair. I expect the chair to twirl around, but then I remember this is not the 21 century. There are no chairs that can turn around here. I hear glass ticking against glass behind my back. Enoch walks back into my view with three jars with three little hearts in them. He sits down and begins working with three dolls from a rich blue fabric.

I follow every move of his fingers until he opens the jars. I can't stand to see this, but I keep looking. It's a kind of weird fascination inside of me. He takes a heart in between his fingers and with his touch it begins to beat again. I swallow unrecognizable. Enoch put it in one of the dolls and the others go in the other dolls their chest. I hold my breath while he whispers something to them. They come to life before my eyes and it surprisingly doesn't disturb me that much.

The dolls shuffle to each other and start to slap each other with their little doll arms. They fall sometimes but keep battling on the table. They come dangerously close to where I stand. There arms flying in the air. One falls from the table next to my feet. I pick it up from the ground and put it back on the table to fight with its mates again. When I look up I see Enoch staring.

"This is pretty cool but isn't it getting boring doing the same every night?" He grins mischievously at me. "How do you think I got all this hearts?" The thought of animal slaughter comes back in my mind. I hope he's joking. I fight back my rational feeling to run and watch the dolls slap each other in the face. They can't do much with their soft arms of fabric. My silence tells him enough and his smirk only gets wider.

I throw one last glance on him while I walk back to the stairs but not without taking the clay figure first. He doesn't seem to notice. A weight falls of my heart while I sprint up the stairs, half tripping half jumping. I get to my room directly with the snores of Bronwyn singing me to sleep. Like I decided before I'm just sleeping in my shirt and underwear. I wrap myself up in the blankets and fall asleep almost directly.

* * *

I feel a tap on my shoulder. I can almost see my little brother, one of the twins, bending over me, whispering breakfast is ready. I can almost smell the pancakes mom always makes on Saturday morning. The only thing I smell is a vague metallic smell that's still on my shirt from yesterday. What I see is also far from my little brother. The girl with short brown curls where I share this room with bends over me. I groan sleepily but get up anyway.

"Breakfast is in ten minutes, I will leave you alone to change clothes. You can use something from me, it's in the closet." She leaves without giving me the chance to thank her. I just put my pants on again, not wanting to make Bronwyn's clothes dirty. I find the bathroom, that's actually just to the left of our room, after a few minutes of searching. I hope that Millard isn't in.

I undo my French braid that I forgot to unfold yesterday and brush my hair with an antique hairbrush I found. Probably it isn't antique this moment but I'm still not used to think in 1940s style. I just clip a blonde lock to the back of my head and get off to breakfast.

When I'm in the dining room I hear miss Peregrine waking other peculiars upstairs. To my relief Millard is already at the table and he's wearing clothes. Three other places are taken already. The left side of Miss Peregrine is no one else than Claire with next to her Millard. Two places further sits Horace, who probably got here half an hour before we actually have to be here. And last but not least - maybe he's the least but I try not to be rude- Enoch at the other end of the table, away from all the rest.

I plop down next to him, what seems to annoy him. "I still don't hear you say it." He knows I'm fishing for a thank you. "Probably because I don't say anything, or you're deaf. Or both." I roll my eyes. From the other side of the table, straight ahead of me, Horace is smiling mysteriously. When he sees me looking he tries to put on a serious face, where he fails at.

"You don't get your doll back if you don't say it." I show Enoch the thing that's still in my pocket but he doesn't seem affected. "That's my best one." I put it back in my pocket.

"Well, you shouldn't throw your 'best one' around in the house." His eyes narrow and I know I pissed him off. "Or you shouldn't steal it from my desk."

"You get it back, I promise. After you finally thank me."

"Thanking for something that didn't happen yet? That's not how society works."

"Living the same day over and over again is also not how society works." I throw back.

"If you don't like it you could always just go away!" I really want to yell at Enoch, I want to rebuild his face. Why can't he just simply say thank me? I control myself when Bronwyn comes to join us with Olive holding her hand. They sit at the same place as the day before because there's only one chair with a belt for Olive.

Horace is smiling mysteriously at me again but this time he doesn't hide it. "What's the matter, you look like you just found out the Germans are going to lose the war." Everyone at the table is staring at me, again. I hate when this happens.

"Are they really going to lose?" Olive asks hopefully. Oh god, they didn't know. I want to burry my face in my hands and never show myself again, like an ostrich. Olive and Claire are very excited about it and on the others faces I can read some satisfaction.

"I'm sorry, I didn't have to say that." I stand up and excuse myself before I run upstairs. This is such a big mistake. Rule one, I hear my mother still saying, don't mention the future, ever. I almost bump into Miss Peregrine. "I'm really sorry, miss." I mumble while I pass her to my room. She tilts her head a little bit and I know that she's confused even if she doesn't show. How could I be this stupid, I already messed up everything in less than a day?

* * *

A/N: Crappy end, I know. I just had to end it because I'm out of inspiration for this chapter. See you in the next one. I hope.


	3. 3: getting the doll back

I take my earbuds out of my jacket with my phone. I put them in my ears and want to turn the music up, but my phone stays black. I throw it at the wall in frustration. Why isn't this the 21 century? Why has this place to be so old? I let the earbuds fall on the ground. It has no use to have them here. They don't have this kind of technology in this year.

Well, if I can't hear music to calm me down, I suppose I can make it myself. Singing always helps me forget. I take a deep breath and start of the song that comes first up in my mind.

{Birdy-Shelter/ if you want to listen while reading.}

My voice shakes after the first chorus, but I don't mind. I keep singing the lines that I know so well, but never had meaning before. I close my eyes while the song keeps filling the room with clear tones. Only when I'm finished I open them and let the sudden silence take care of me.

I sit down on my bed and pick up my phone and earbuds. I shove them into my jacket, save from a hysterical attack. I walk into the bathroom checking if my face is okay. Expect from the corners of my mouth that point at the ground, there's nothing wrong. I put on a fake smile and go back to the room. They won't need me for breakfast. They saved themselves more than fifty years without me at breakfast so one more day won't hurt.

My thoughts go to Damon. I can't stop them and I don't want to. I project him in the room. I let him sit on Bronwyn's bed. I stay on mine. I know I can't hug him or lean on him to cry, he's just one of my illusions.

"How are you, Damon?" The illusion smiles sadly at me, his eyes the same bright green as our mothers. They go over my features.

"Long time no see, sis. I thought you would never call me up again. And to answer the question: I'm still death so I could be better." It's just my imagination. He's not saying anything, only his mouth mimics the words. That's a lack in my power. I can't manipulate sounds, I can never hear Damon's sweet voice again. I just hear a replica of it in my head.

"Well, I just fucked up, but I'm actually pretty good here in my new home. Most other children are very nice to me." Most. "Is someone bothering you, Alex?" He remarked the 'most' too. Probably because he's my imagination. "Oh yeah, Emma clearly doesn't like me and I have already pissed of Enoch after one day. So you could say I didn't make a very good first impression."

I force a smile at my older brother sitting at the other side of the room. He smiles bright back. "That are only two people, there are so much more friends to make." He stands up from Bronwyns bed and strokes a piece of hair after my ear. The thing is that my hair doesn't move and his fingers don't stroke my ear. His hand goes through my head, because he's a projection of my imagination.

"Horace and I have a click. You would probably like him, he's just as good-dressed as you." My friendly elbow goes through his not existing side.

"He sounds amazing. I hope we can see each other one day."

"I hope it too."

With the sound of footsteps on the stairs I let him disappear. He flies away in a coloured fog, through the open window. Miss Peregrine enters the room on the moment the last piece of Damon fades away.

"Hello, dear, we missed you at breakfast." I bite my lip nervously. "I... I'm sorry..." I can't bring out a whole sentence under the eye of the headmistress. Her eyes looking at me like I'm prey.

"Don't be. One little mistakes doesn't matter." She smiles sweetly at me. "But don't let it ever happen again. This is 1940, not 2017. The children will never live in your time so don't give them hope." I nod. I'm glad she doesn't make a problem out of it. Next time it will be, but for now I haven't lost anything.

"Good, dear, I think it's time to find out what you can do with your peculiarity. Other than changing my ceiling in a night sky, of course."

I follow her to the magnificent garden. She takes me to a place that's out of sight from the other children, but she can't provide Olive from joining. The little girl grabs my hand from behind. Her eyes clinging on my face.

"I missed you at breakfast." She hops next to me. Her tiara almost slipping of her head. "Yeah, probably." I say sarcastically.

"Really, Horace missed you too. And Bronwyn. Millard and Claire looked disappointed too." I tweak her hand for the sweet words. She is one of the nicest kids around here. Miss Peregrine stops when were on a flat piece of grass surrounded by bushes and trees.

"Olive, you can go now. Miss Archer has to be trained in private." I thought I was just going to show what I can. But some training won't be that bad, will it?

"But miss P, I reeeeeally want to see the show."

"It's not a show." I throw between the two, even if they just ignore me completely.

"Dear, this house is no freak show."

"One time, pleeeeeease."

"No."

Olive starts spilling her tears to get what she wants, what works. She backs of to the bushes to find a comfortable place to stand- since she can't sit down without a belt. Miss Peregrine faces back to me with a serious expression.

"A flat illusion is the easiest. It may be spectacular, but it's easy." She begins. "The real struggles come with the dimension and the lighting. Today we will focus on the dimension, because that's more important." She steps around me with steady moves.

"Give me the first thing you can think of." The first thing is the radio that stands in my room in the present, but I should probably take something else. I concentrate and let a pile of books show up. They came out of nowhere and I didn't even close my eyes yet. Olive claps enthusiastically from where she stands. Miss Peregrine on the other hand doesn't seem impressed.

"More books." She just says. I have to add books to the pile until they reach as high as the house.

"Splendid, now you can let them fall. Next phase, movement, very tricky."

I take a deep breath before the pile begins to tilt dangerously. The books on top flatter down first in a storm of paper and ink. The pile tilts in a bow, over Miss Peregrines head. The books then eventually decide to all fall down from top to bottom.

"Stop!"

I stop the books suddenly, like they froze in the air.

"Come here, Miss Archer." I walk in her direction with unsteady steps. "Do you see that? One of your books is out of proportion." I have to come closer to see what she means and yes, between all the falling books there's one. Only one that is thick on one side and tin on the other. I fix it while I blink. Miss Peregrine must have sharp eyes to see such a little detail.

"And for you children." She turns to the bushes where Olive took place. She got company. All the peculiars, except Emma, stand beside and behind her or sit in front of her feet. They probably saw the pile of books tower above the trees. "Give the lady some privacy."

Olive pouts and this time it's Claire that uses the cry technique. "Darlings, when did we stop listening to Miss Peregrine?" They don't give a kick.

"You know, I don't mind." I shrug my shoulders a little bit. I don't like the eyes that follow all my moves, but it's also encouraging to have a public. The children look hopeful at Miss Peregrine and she has to give in because of my comment.

I back of to the place where I can see the whole pile. My nerves are coming up, but I supress them. With an automatic wave of my hand the books continue falling around Miss Peregrine's feet. She doesn't stop me before they all lay on the ground, some with open pages other with their old covers to the sky.

"Very good, miss Archer. Very good, for a first time. If I can say one thing, it was on the slow side." I nod and wait for further instructions. "Reverse the whole process as fast as you can." I want to protest, but... the peer pressure! I sight a little too dramatically in my ears and start the show. While the falling lasted for at least twenty seconds, the reversing only takes a second. It takes all of my willpower to give the books a free way to the top without waking them fly through each other. The peculiars burst out in clapping.

"Good work, Miss Archer. Clean them up and then you're ready for today."

* * *

We gather around the front door of the house, everyone, except me, knows what's going to happen. Well, after one day you can't expect me to know everything that happens around here. The kids look excited, what's a good sign, I suppose. We're standing in a half circle in front of the door. To my surprise Horace is the one that stands in the middle with Miss Peregrine.

He pats some imaginary dust of his suit before he starts talking. "Dear Peculiars, you all know why we brought you here today." No, I don't. He takes a few steps while he stretches the pause unnecessarily long.

"Why we're standing here all together…" I want to yell that he has to get to the point, but some wisdom or shyness keeps me from opening my mouth. He glares in my direction and I just know he does this on purpose. "in our last moments of unity." I raise my eyebrow.

"From now on until later this noon we will act as opponents, as enemies, as-"

"Just get on with it!" Emma interrupts him annoyed. Horace keeps up his dramatic act and pretends he didn't hear her. "As rivals! Only one team can win!"

Olive squeezes my hand from next to me. Her fingers wrapping around mine. "I hope we're a team," she whispers enthusiastically. I grin back at the jumping child.

"I would love to be on your team." I ruffle her hair even though she tries to push my hand away.

"Ladies and gentleman, I think it's time to announce the teams I put together." The peculiars yell enthusiastically.

Horace begins with Hugh and Fiona who were obviously going to be a team. The love birds look each other deep in the eyes. The next team is Millard and Claire. There are disappointed sights all around me and Olive tells Millard to not take off his clothes again, that would be cheating. Everyone surely wants him on their team. I can see why.

"Our following team is Bronwyn and Olive." Olive squeezes my hand again and begins whining about Horace's choice to put her with Bronwyn and not me. Her voice hurts my ears and I don't understand how Horace can take it.

"No, no Olive, I've made the teams and you have to deal with it." They exchange violent gazes before Horace continues.

"Alexis and Enoch are partners for today and Emma is teaming up with me." Now it's my turn to give Horace a violent look. Enoch, of all the other peculiars he could choose, he chose Enoch. He just returns a vicious grin.

Olive loosens her grip on my hand and heads to Bronwyn who on the other hand seems to like her team. I turn to search my 'partner' but I don't have to look far. He's standing right behind me with a mischievous smile plastered on his face. That he's standing there and the smile both give me a minor heart attack.

I don't take the time to think about what I'm saying when I blurt out: "Stop that, you're creeping me out." His smile only widens and I regret my outburst.

"Really? I'm scarier than a basement full of hearts and puppets that are brought back to live?" I role my eyes as respond.

"You know, I already wondered when I would get my doll back after tonight." He holds up the clay figure as a little trophy. I automatically pet on my pockets to be sure and yes, the doll is gone. He just took it out of my pocket without me even noticing. I shoot him a death glare before Horace begins to explain the plan.

"We're going to the village peculiars. We're going to steal as much as we can and Miss Peregrine," he makes a hand gesture in her direction, "will judge our founding on utility, preciousness and beauty. Steal what you can but remember…" The dramatic pauses that Horace naturally makes are killing me. "Every team for itself." The children shout in enjoyment while we start parting into our teams and heading to the village.

"Can your doll stealing fingers also smuggle anything else?"

"I've done this plenty of times before. I have a plan, trust me."

"Yeah right." I mutter sarcastically.


	4. 4: no doll in sight

A/N: Sorry that I didn't update in a long time but my whole vacation is filled with camps, work and travelling. This is probably not one of my best chapters but I wanted to put it on here before I fly to Scotland for six days. I should also warn you that I won't update until September because of the same reasons.

* * *

"So what's your genius plan, O'Connor?" Just walk into the village take the first object we find and head back would be a nice plan cause I can't wait to get it over with already. Only the thought of spending a whole after noon with this irritating guy makes me want to cringe. Any other peculiar – except Emma maybe- would make this event exciting and enjoyable but Enoch just ruins the mood. He always does with his creepy aura and zombie dolls and thick accent. The thick accent is actually a difficult something, it makes everything he says creepier but also more intriguing at the same time so I don't know if I have to classify it as a bad trait. However Enoch as a total picture is still terrifying and really uncomfortable to hang out with.

"It really is genius. First of all we need a big carriage." I raise my eyebrow. "How do you define big?" I realize there's some sarcastic undertone in my voice even though it's a serious question. "Big like place for two people and a chicken or big like place for two people and a cow?"

Enoch seems to ignore the unintentional sarcasm and just answers straight forward. "At least a fat cow."

"What are you planning to steal that you need a carriage for a fat cow?"

"I'm the genius, you're the sidekick, let me do the thinking." I feel heat rising to my face when the anger boils up inside my chest. My head is probably a deep red when he continues. "But if you want to know however, you have to get me a carriage first." Though it's the perfect moment for an exaggerated eye roll, I take satisfaction with an annoyed glare. He ignores my obvious body language too and starts walking off to what seems like an old fashioned little farm. Well, it's probably not old fashioned in this time but then again, I have problems switching time periods.

A straw roof – I bet that isn't even modern in this time – is the first thing I can clearly distinguish when I try to keep up with Enoch. When we get closer I scan the building that isn't more than some stones hold together with dry clay. I can't find any sign of human life in sight. Let's say that I guessed it would be a little more crowded on a farm although the whole village seems an abandoned resort.

Enoch paces to a smaller building at the side of the lifeless house what must be the barn. When he opens the door I can hear animal sounds, especially a lot of sheep. Enoch makes his way through the piles of hay that are scattered around the place. It's a mess in the barn. Work equipment, hay and an amount of sheep shit is all spread out on the floor so I decide to stay outside, where it doesn't smell like sheep butt.

"I could use a little help!" I hear a muffled voice coming from the back of the barn. I sight and despite the disgust I feel for the excreta I will find inside, I enter the old nasty building. I put my feet down on the only little parts of the floor that aren't covered in dirt. It takes some time but I get to Enoch anyway so he can't complain.

"Can you make the horse ready to pull the carriage?"

"I don't know, I'm just a sidekick." I shrug my shoulders.

"Can you do anything without complaining actually?" I send him a death glare before I pick up the riding gear that's thrown on the floor in front of the box and get to work. I ignore Enoch's satisfied grin while I'm readying the snow white horse. He keeps looking at me like that until I'm done. Then he shows me the carriage he was aiming for the whole time. I gaze at the thing that can transport at least two fat cows.

"What the heck are you planning to steal?!" That grin appears on his face again. "You'll see." I can't hold back a worried expression in his direction. "It'll surely make us the victors." Without further explanation he paces of, leaving me with a horse by my side and a carriage way too big for anything I can imagine.

* * *

Twenty minutes later I'm sitting against the carriage, tapping my foot against the solid ground, bored out of my mind. The carriage is parked just out of sight of a little shop downhill. I didn't get a good look at it before Enoch shoved me behind the bushes. He said it was necessary that he went to the shop alone, I don't know why, I don't care why. The only thing that I care about now is that he comes back fast because sitting here, doing nothing, makes me feel utterly useless. Until now I haven't done more than readying and riding the horse because that's something Enoch can't. He's lucky my friend dragged me to some horse riding classes, otherwise I would never ever touch an animal that's bigger than me. I'm not really fond of animals I have to admit.

The horse neighs at me, almost breaking his neck while trying to look at me.

"I don't know what he's doing either, Snowflake." Yeah, I named the horse Snowflake, not very original but the other option was Icy. Snowflake turns his head back and starts eating from the bushes. _Must be nice being a horse_ I think when I see Enoch running up the path.

"We have to go!" He yells from a distance. It's then that I see the angry vendor chasing him. "You got busted?! You're such an idiot!" I jump up in a rush and pull Snowflakes head away from the bushes. In a few seconds I'm sitting on his back. In the corner of my eye I see Enoch running towards the carriage with wheels and planks in his arms. I want to ask him what they're for but press my heels in Snowflakes flank instead. The horse neighs once before he begins to trot.

When Enoch jumps in the carriage I prod Snowflake to a steady gallop. I decide we're going fast enough like this without tiring Snowflake too much. I dare to look back to find a furious vendor who clearly can't keep up. I send him an evil smirk. All I get back is fading shouting, I guess if it were the 21th century he would call the cops and note down our license plate. Am I glad it's 1940. Now I'm looking over my shoulder anyway I take a look at what Enoch is forcing. He fiddles with the wheels, even though I doubt he knows much about mechanics.

"Hey, don't break them." He lifts his head to stare back at me. "They can stand way more force. Otherwise they can't transport our treasure."

"And what may our treasure be?" I try to sound innocent, I don't know if I nailed it actually.

"Head for the church." The church? I face towards the road for a brief moment and can see the church tower slightly at the right. I lead Snowflake in the direction of the outstanding building before I get back to Enoch.

"We're going to steal an altar? Or do you want a big statue of Jesus?" He shakes his head at both options. "Well, if you were planning to take the organ away you have chosen a too small carriage." I'm wrong again.

"We're going for the bell." My reflexes are already making me pull the rein. The only thing stopping me from letting Snowflake halt is the excited feeling in my chest. I don't really like the fact that the feelings in my chest are most of the time contradicting with what my mind says.

"Are you out of your mind?! We never get that thing down!"

"I've got a plan."

"You're plans our reckless!"

"Are you too much of a baby to help?" I become silence. He always says these things that make me want to participate in his ridiculous plan. First with the horse, now with the bell. I know that it's stupid to continue but I prod Snowflake to go faster anyway.

"That's what I thought." I barely hear Enoch mutter under his breath.

* * *

The church is the smallest church I've ever seen. When we get in there's only a little child head of space between my head and the ceiling. Enoch even touches it with his curly hair. That's exactly how low the ceiling is. We climb stairs at the left of the main room with all the chairs and the altar and stuff. We're not even halfway the first turn when he stops. I have the urge to ask him what he think he's doing but shut my mouth when I see him placing a plank over the stairs. He does this every turn, all three turns. Yeah, the tower isn't really high either. Even though it might be only a two men high tower it's still pretty remarkable between all the old little houses in the village. I guess the clock helps to draw attention. But enough about the tower.

We're standing in front of the bell and it is clear that Enoch didn't think this through, a metal chain is keeping the bell up, the clapper is hanging loosely and ready to cling by the slightest of movement and the thing is wider than the stairs. I open my mouth to complain but he seems to really don't care about anything I say today. "Just give me your jacket." Yeah, Horace gave me a jacket out of nowhere right before we started. I was wondering why I needed it because it's actually a beautiful day. Now I see why the kiddo did it. I hand my jacket over and Enoch reaches under the bell to bind it around the clapper.

"Pretty smart to be honest." I mutter, just not loud enough that Enoch's ego can't hear it. He stands up again and dusts of his own shirt in a very old fashioned way. Wait, I forgot about the time period again. Next he places the wheels underneath the lining of the bell, the circle where the bell would touch the ground if it came down. When I see him putting them there I can't help but notice that the splits in the block of wood above the wheels is straight. Not round like the lining, but they're wider so I guess it should work. Then he suddenly rolls them more to one side of the circle.

"It's out of balance that way." I try to argue him. He seems to have thought out everything tough.

"The stairs are too small so one side of the bell has to hang over." There is Enoch again with his tremendous logic, why am I such an idiot that doesn't think of this stuff? I have the urge to slap myself but instead I do something that's actually helpful. I move over to the other side of the tower where the chains are attached to the wall. I carefully loosen them and use my own weight to balance the bell out when I detach the chains. Little by little I let the bell go down.

"Just a bit more."

"I know Enoch, I have eyes too." It's not snappy or rude, just a squeal because the chains are dragging my arms upwards and I can't get more out of my mouth between my gritted teeth. Yeah, I'm not really strong, it's true. I let the chains go when I see them slipping into the gapes in the wood. They fit to my surprise.

"Let's go now." I go around the bell to where Enoch stands. "Before anyone notices that their goddamn bell is gone." We pull it towards the stairs that are made rideable for the wheels -something I didn't think about of course- and begin descending the staircase. The bell passes the top of the stairs and begins to ride on his own. We both put our shoulders into the metal to catch some of the weight otherwise the bell would speed off. I feel the pounds weighing on my torso but I think Enoch is taking most of it on his own. My feet are shuffling down to search for safe spots to place them so that I don't fall. One shuffle down, found a stable spot, another shuffle down, a second stable spot and it works for two staircases but when we're on the top of the last one Enoch slips.

It's like all my reflexes are suddenly level 200 cause it seems like I can see everything happening at once. Enoch sliding down the side of the bell when his foot doesn't find grip, the bell tilting down over the edge but not falling yet and Enoch's hand landing just under the bottom of the metal death weight. The other reason I think my reflexes are suddenly supernatural is that I'm able to duck and pull his hand away before it gets crushed. Later I see the thing tilting too far and falling but my super reflexes are already gone at that moment.

Two seconds later it collapses with the ground. The sounds pierces through my ears. I can't hear anything else for a solemn minute where I'm trying to zone the clang out. I'm pretty sure the whole village heard the noise. I open my eyes when my ears don't feel like they're just molested by a hammer anymore. I didn't even notice I closed them. I see Enoch laying in the same position as before the bell fell. His hand is still intertwined with mine after I saved it. It feels warm and a little bit sweaty.

"You okay?" I ask carelessly. He looks over at me and takes his hand back roughly.

"Great." He pulls himself up and dusts of his clothes for the second time. "It's all just great."

He seems to blame himself for the incident. He may have caused it, but it could've happen to anyone. He storms of to the bell. I finally get up after I realize I'm still not standing. I go upstairs again to get the planks. I better leave him alone I guess, don't want to be nearby him anyway. I get the planks to the carriage but force myself to look over my shoulder to Enoch before I exit the church. He's fiddling with a crushed wheel and trying to place the others under the bell again. I scan the scene subconsciously. It happens and I can't stop myself from doing it. I turn my eyes away and walk out the door to the carriage. I have to stop scanning people unwillingly.

I lay the planks in the front of the carriage safely before I return to help Enoch. When I want to go in I suddenly see two men approaching. They're around the same height and one wears a messy grey beard while the other has a shaved chin. That's all I can notice in one glance before I hide behind the door. Just our luck that the whole village heard the noise of the bell. I hurry over to Enoch whose starting to role the bell to the door.

"We have a problem." He looks at me with a raised eyebrow. He doesn't have to tell me to continue, his face says enough. "There are two men coming." I wait for him to come up with a marvellous plan like he always does.

"Uhm, we should probably just run." No marvellous plan this time.

"No." I say directly. I haven't stolen a carriage, a horse and almost a bell to return with nothing.

"You have a better plan?"

"Just let me handle this." I don't know what's gotten into me cause this plan is ridiculous and I'm pretty sure I can't pull it off. I take a breath and scan the space behind the bell as fast as I can. Then I try to project it in front of the bell so it's hidden. It's a flat illusion so if you walk around it you would still see the bell. It's more like putting a screen in front of it than actually making it invisible.

"So let me guess, I have to do the talking cause you have to concentrate?"

"That's right." Before he can complain the men enter the church. I optimize the illusion mentally while Enoch does the talking.

"Did that sound come from here?" the beard man confronts us. Enoch looks at me and answers the man after he sees my blank face.

"Yeah, we rang the bell."

"Why? Is there something wrong?" the other man with sharp cheekbones picks in.

"It was an accident." Enoch crabs his head what makes him look more innocent than I thought he could ever look. The dark and broody is hidden under this ashamed act.

"Just don't do it again, boy." The beardy old man pats him on the shoulder before he walks off. The other one winks at Enoch in a way everyone knows as good-luck-with-the-lady. I want to cringe at the wink but repress the urge. Both leave the building and I let the illusion vanish with relief. Enoch did a good job pretending to be a total dork. Without exchanging a word we pull the bell outside together after we checked the men were out of sight. I lift the bell onto the carriage using the planks as lever. It takes some effort to get them on but I manage to do it after all. Enoch is practically watching me and handing only the slightest help. He seems to be in his own world.

He sits in the carriage while I ride Snowflake and that's how it's done. He doesn't say anything and I'm totally okay with it. I have the time to enjoy riding on a horse after all this time and seeing the landscape while he's silent. The silent is broken not long after though when we pass the two men. They begin yelling at us for stealing the bell and I put my tongue out like a little child in responds. However the two men aren't the only people we meet on our way home. Around the centrum of the village we bump into the carriage of Horace.

"That's a magnificent price miss Archer. It's a regret that it won't win." I raise an eyebrow. "Because ours is going to steal the first place." Horace grins mysterious like he did so many times today.

"I don't see nothing in your carriage, Horace." What could be better than our bell? He's just being the vague kid he always is.

"Emma is getting it. Don't worry about it, you'll see it back at the house."

"See you later than." I say suspiciously before I set Snowflake back to trot. Horace is literally going to kill me with his mysteries.


End file.
